The BBC is to end the historic mismatch between its TV and radio football coverage by axing the second commentator's role on Radio 5 Live.

It has long been a quirk of the BBC that it sends two commentators to cover a game on Radio 5 Live but only one when it is being broadcast on TV.

The changes will begin next season and all live matches will have a single commentator by the 2014 season as part of plans to save almost £5m from Radio 5 Live's budget.

Radio 5 Live insiders described the use of two commentators as an "anachronism". But it remains to be seen how the change will be greeted by the station's lineup of big name commentators including Alan Green, John Murray and Conor McNamara.

"There is no reason why one person cannot commentate for the whole game," said a Radio 5 Live source.

"It's a historic thing – the way the BBC has always done it – but it is also expensive, especially if the game is coming from Moscow."

Radio 5 Live has used two commentators – they currently swap over in the middle of each half alongside a summariser who covers the entire match – since it began broadcasting in 1990.

Dual commentators were also used before that when the BBC's live football coverage was broadcast on Radio 2.

Previous BBC management attempts to axe the second commentator's role met with resistance from inside the corporation, but the scale of the latest round of cost cutting meant change has become inevitable.

An extra commentator was thought to add extra texture and objectivity to its coverage but has come to be regarded as an expensive indulgence.

As part of the savings being made across the corporation, Radio 5 Live is having to cut its content budget by 7.5% – or £4.7m – over the next five years.

The DQF proposals, published earlier this month, said Radio 5 Live would maintain sport output at "approximately current levels" but would "reduce the cost of sports presentation including using smaller teams at many events".

A number of programmes, including Richard Bacon's afternoon show and drivetime, already broadcast from BBC North. The breakfast programme is due to switch next month.

A Radio 5 Live spokesman said: "Radio 5 Live plans to phase out the use of two football commentators on football matches as part of its Delivering Quality First savings. The changes will begin next season and be fully implemented by 2014.

"The use of two commentators has for long been something which has helped define BBC radio's football coverage but we believe the savings achieved by making this change will enable us to continue to offer the high quality coverage 5 Live listeners expect, using an outstanding team of commentators and pundits."

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